Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-01-22
CAREER OF AN APPRENTICE.



My father, of course, is a splendid !
sample of the past age that honored
apprenticeship. Let your hearers know
what the dignity Of apprenticeship
means. Ny father was apprenticcd at
fourteen years Of age, had to do all the
hard work of boys Of that time, clean
his masters boots, etc; and though he
sat with the masters family Gas all the
other workmcn did) at table, he never
had quite enough to eat. He had to
learn his trade AS well as he could by
watching and without real tuition. On
Sundays the apprentices Of all the
trades were marshaled in procession,
accompanied by gendarmes, to the
three schools-Sunday-school, day.
school and drawing-school. During
that time my father already showed
ability as a draughtsman. His master
saw his talent, and wanted him to COM
pete for the one silver medal given that
year to the apprentices for drawing in
Munich, but he was too poor to buy
the material. So the master gave him
the paper, Indian ink and materials,
and his drawings gained the silver
medal. ! have those drawings now.
They are masterly in their beautiful
precision and delicacy of touch. Prizes
were awarded by the mayor of the
town in the fine old town hail OF
Munich---there was a great crowd Of
people to see the apprentices get their
prizes, and when my father received
his medal from the hands of the mayor
a blast Of trumpets sounded to mark
the event. 1t was the only time in
his life, said my father, that "he
did not feel his legs when he
walked ont" Those are great tri-
umphs. He then worked his way up to
be journeyman workman, and then
Travelled on foot, with a knapsack on
his back, to Amsterdam, Brussels and
Paris, learning all the different meth,
DDS of work in each city and country,
when he made his masterpiece, and
was pronounced an extra good master
Of his craft, He then made another
tour on foot, and when he returned
went in for a thorough course of per-
spectlve and geometry, and also studied
the Gothic style from its foundation.
He then settled in his native place,
starting with the commission to make
new altar for the church. But his
mind was "ahcad' of the times He
| had his romantic notions and wished
TO build his own house. He pulled
down the house left him by his father,
which was in bad state, and built a
charming house. which still stands,
and in which | was born. But though
it was simple it was dignifed. How
ever, 1913 .poilt Germany He felt il
was too tight" and in 1851 we three
my father and mother and Give
wears old-emigrated 10 America
There the climate after siX years al
fcctcd the health OF my mother anc
myself, and we came to England. Nov
i'm England at that time there was N
taste for workmanship. We struggle,
with poverty until | could earn som'
money. But here mark the difference
The noble man who had gone through
the severe training never allowed pov
erty to take one dignifcd thought iron
him or To make him feel that life haC
only misery for him. He gave "
smoking and drinking alcohol,
liquors and even eating mea
$50 as to reduce expenses
My dear mother gave music
lessons for middle-class people. w
had to live on thirty shillings a week
With this the "msstcr workman ny
father, had Il few chances of shown.
his skill; but he did buy little WOO,
from time to time, and did beautiful
carved work without, however, bein.
able to sell it. Still he was a master
and lived adigniiied life that could onl,
come to a man when trained as he wa
trained He never would have had tn,
sclf-control without that training. II,
was my one companion as a boy
worked with him He knew how tC
guide my enthusiasm and with scarcel!
any means at hand | learned Il craft,
learned to use my hands, and every
day of my life do bless the ditficultic
that really threw me so much in hi
company, He was to me not only !
father but an "ideal' man. All hi,
emotions, all his principles drank in
and now it is my privilege to be able t.
work ont the dream of his life, All tn,
work he has done for years will have
shrine, and so. too, the work of his tw'
brothcrs-the carver and the weaver
in my great house. The blessings o
temperance he has given me also.
Can You imagine such a life withou
an apprenticeship? lean not, It's tn
curse of the age that young people wisI
To jump into maturity at bound, an'
that the desire is not to do but to "ge
done" to deal in the article, not t,
make it, Responsibility has cursed thi
age in this country-a craftsman is no
supposed to be a gcntleman.-tdH Ma
gazette